David Lee, who scored a game-high 28 points, puts up a shot over Denver's Timofey Mozgov.

Photo: David Zalubowski, Associated Press

David Lee, who scored a game-high 28 points, puts up a shot over...

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Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, right, works the ball inside as Denver Nuggets guard Nate Robinson covers in the fourth quarter of the Warriors' 89-81 victory in an NBA basketball game in Denver on Monday, Dec. 23, 2013. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Photo: David Zalubowski, Associated Press

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, right, works the ball...

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Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson reacts after hitting a basket in the fourth quarter to give the Warriors a five-point lead over the Denver Nuggets in an NBA basketball game in Denver, Monday, Dec. 23, 2013. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Photo: David Zalubowski, Associated Press

Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson reacts after hitting a...

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Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry argues for a call against the Denver Nuggets in the fourth quarter of the Warriors' 89-81 victory in an NBA basketball game in Denver, Monday, Dec. 23, 2013. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Golden State Warriors head coach Mark Jackson directs his team against the Denver Nuggets in the first quarter of an NBA basketball game in Denver, Monday, Dec. 23, 2013. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Photo: David Zalubowski, Associated Press

Golden State Warriors head coach Mark Jackson directs his team...

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Golden State Warriors guard Andre Iguodala, left, greets former teammate and Denver Nuggets guard Ty Lawson at center court as the teams warm up for an NBA basketball game in Denver, Monday, Dec. 23, 2013. Iguodala was making his first appearance in Denver since being traded to Golden State in the off-season. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

DENVER -- The Pepsi Center crowd of 18,551 rained boos down on Andre Iguodala from the moment he was announced during pregame introductions Monday night, and the venom increased each time he touched the ball during the game.

Then, Iguodala gave his former fans one more reason to boo.

In his first game back to the site where he thrived during Denver's best-ever regular season in 2012-13, Iguodala played his usual stingy defense and added 12 points, six rebounds and two assists to lead his new Warriors teammates to an 89-81 victory.

It was the most productive game Iguodala has had since coming back from a strained left hamstring Dec. 17, seemingly sparked by the crowd's wrath and then saving a big shot for crunch time.

"I played in Philly the first game of last year, so I've been through it," said Iguodala, who played his first eight seasons for the 76ers. "It actually wasn't that bad. It's just our day and age with sports now, because there are so many transactions and the fans are so into them. You're going to see it a lot."

The Warriors (16-13) passed Denver (14-13) to move into the Western Conference's eighth spot, but the game didn't live up to the excitement from last season's first-round playoff matchup until the fourth quarter. That's when the Warriors outscored the Nuggets 25-15 and yielded 28.6 percent shooting.

David Lee spun in a hook shot to give the Warriors a 78-77 lead with 4:28 remaining and ignite a 7-1 run that extended the advantage to 83-78 on an Iguodala three-pointer.

The Warriors committed two turnovers and missed two jumpers in the final three minutes, opening a door for Denver. But after Denver trimmed its deficit to 83-80, Wilson Chandler missed a three-point try with 43.9 seconds left.

Klay Thompson all but iced the victory with a turnaround jumper that made it 85-80 with 22.6 seconds on the clock, and Lee ended all doubt with two free throws that gave the Warriors an 87-81 lead with 14.2 ticks left.

"They took the lead and got a rhythm, but our guys battled, and that's how you have to win on the road," Warriors head coach Mark Jackson said. "It was an awfully impressive win for us. We got back to defending at a high level and paying attention to our principles."

Lee scored 12 of his game-high 28 points in the first quarter and finished with 10 rebounds for his ninth straight double-double. Andrew Bogut added 11 rebounds and three blocked shots, grabbing double-digit boards for the 16th time in his past 19 games and for the ninth straight outing.

The Warriors needed the big guys' production, because Stephen Curry had only 14 points on a 5-for-14 night that was tainted by foul trouble, and Thompson scored 13 points on 6-for-16 shooting.

"That tells you how good we can be, because there is no question about those guys' abilities to score and shoot the basketball," Jackson said. "The thing that can remain a constant for us is our ability to defend and to defend at a high level. That's going to win ballgames for us. When those guys do establish a rhythm, it's going to be awfully pretty."

Even with Thompson struggling to find his jumper, the Warriors have won three of their past four since Iguodala returned to the lineup. They had dropped three of four before that, bringing Jackson to question his players' desire.

The Warriors seem to have responded, and now get to host two games before embarking a season-long, seven-game trip.

"Andre's going to get a huge ovation every time he walks into Oracle Arena, so I guess that's the trade-off," Lee said.